


something i need

by awespiring



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Feelings and stuff, Fluff, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-14
Updated: 2019-07-14
Packaged: 2020-06-28 06:33:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19806688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/awespiring/pseuds/awespiring
Summary: Peter doesn't remember exactly when he starts liking MJ, but he can tell you some of the reasons why.





	something i need

Dying takes a toll on you, Peter realized. So does being blipped and brought back five years into the future with no warning. If you asked him or anyone, really, what they were doing the entire time they were gone—missing?—he couldn’t tell you. It’s almost like it didn’t happen, like he blinked and five years had passed and now he’s sitting in his room agonizing over his mentors’ death. And, well, Cap and Nat, as well. None of it seemed real.  
  
He also manages to seriously avoid the “What were you doing when you got dusted?” question because _no_ , he just couldn’t answer that.  
  
He spends hours in his room, days, watching television and listening to the news. Violence continued on, but Spider-Man didn’t. He shoved his Stark suit in the back of his closet and ignored the Iron Spider Suit for weeks after. Peter was, for the most part, focusing on school now.  
  
His grades were good, he had his assignments in on time, and he even managed to show up to every AcaDec practice for a straight month without missing. Plus, it was kind of nice to be surrounded by a bunch of people that also blipped with him. Half the kids in his English class were in elementary school when he left, now they’re sitting next to him reading ‘Catcher In The Rye’ and writing full essays. It was a trip, to say the least.  
  
Ned was a saving grace in all of this madness too. Peter vaguely remembers him rambling on about how his entire LEGO Death Star crumbled to pieces and he couldn’t do anything because he was being dusted too. It was devastating, really. But, Peter was more happy to see him and hug his physical form because—he’s here, he’s alive, his friend is okay—he _needed_ it.  
  
It doesn’t surprise him that MJ jumped right back in as AcaDec captain either, considering the club was obsolete in their absence. But, she doesn’t miss a beat and Peter actually likes it. Not that he likes her, because he doesn’t. He definitely does not. She’s also talking to Ned and him more though, which is cool, but new to the both of them. MJ always sat at the same table as them at lunch, but she didn’t actually start sitting with them until after said ‘Blip’.  
  
Peter notices she doesn’t read books as much either and starts doodling in a sketchbook instead. Not to say that she gives up on her hardcover books entirely, there’s still definitely a lot less of it. She’s also staring at him more. A lot more.  
  
Before it felt like an ‘I know something you don’t know.’ stare, but not it felt like she was literally staring into his soul any time he caught her. She would also quickly avert her eyes, Peter doing much of the same.  
  
So, that’s what had been happening the past eight months since the snap. A constant game of ‘cat and mouse’ and seeing how long they could stare at each other before the other noticed. Also, Peter realizing he likes MJ, but he could give you a detailed report of how that started.  
  
First, It didn’t really dawn on Peter how much time they were _inadvertently_ spending together until he started coming before and after school to help with AcaDec, Ned being completely forgotten for the moment.  
  
He didn’t have a crush. They were just friends.  
  
“I’m pairing you up with Flash today,” MJ tells him, taking down the chairs that were stacked up, aligning them at the table neatly.  
  
Peter scrunched his face together, both in annoyance and disgust. He quickly grabs a couple of the chairs from her grasp, maneuvering them with ease. MJ pauses to watch but shakes it off.  
  
She shrugs, offering a half smile.  
  
“Just thought I’d give you a heads-up.”  
  
“But, you also pair me up with Ned.”  
  
“Everyone hates being Flash’s partner. You’re the only one I have left to choose from.” MJ explains, resting her hands against the back of a chair.  
  
Peter stares for a long time, like really, _really_ stares. She doesn’t break. He was hoping maybe she would give in and find some sympathy on her cold heart, but it was already set in stone.  
  
“Just do it. For me. You don’t have to get along with him, only tolerate it. That’s all I’m asking.” MJ pleads, tilting her head slightly as she looks at him.  
  
Peter sighs dramatically, tossing his bag on the table.  
  
“Fine. I’ll do it. But one Penis joke and I’m _leaving_.” He warns.  
  
“Oh, I’ll keep him on a leash. Trust me. I terrify Flash, can’t you tell?” She asks, a hint of a smirk under her head demeanor.  
  
He felt his heart skip a beat and his cheeks heat up, silently praying that they weren’t visibly red. Oh no, this wasn’t good. He’d only felt this once before, with Liz, but never this intense.  
  
A couple other times he realizes that he can’t stand touching her without internally freaking out. So, every time she hands him something, he’s very careful about how he does so.  
  
Until MJ makes it literally impossible not to.  
  
“Why do you always do that?” She asks, motion towards his—unbeknownst to her—clammy hands.  
  
“Do what?” Peter asks, rearing back from her slightly.  
  
“Snatch everything from me like I’m going to bite you.” MJ explains, hands resting on her knees from where she was sitting criss-cross at the lunch table beside him.  
  
Ned was just an onlooker, clearly amused at their back and forth banter.  
  
“I don’t.” Peter says, a feeble attempt to defend himself.  
  
“Do to.” MJ says like a five-year-old trying to win an argument, but then she quickly reaches out a grabs his hand from his lap, to which Peter quickly snatched away.  
  
“ _See_!” MJ half-shouts, pointing at his hand and looking at Peter before glancing over at Ned. “That’s what I’m talking about.”  
  
There’s a pause and then MJ speaks again.  
  
“Do I gross you out or something?”  
  
Peter doesn’t answer, because he honestly doesn’t know what to say. He soon realizes no words are worse than actually saying something, causing MJ to gather her things and storm off.  
  
It blows over in a week, after a serious talk, man to man, between Ned and Peter. Ned telling him how stupid he looks acting like that and Peter realizing that he needed to get over the fact that MJ was comfortable enough to touch him and be close to him. It’s not like it was going to stop him from freaking out every time they touched, he just tried to mask it better. MJ doesn’t bring it up again, because sometimes she leans on Peter during assemblies or when they’re doing group projects together in class and Peter doesn’t say anything. And it’s not like she’s draping herself over him, she’s just comfortable touching her shoulder against his, or resting his arm against the back of his chair and not caring if she touches him. He doesn’t flinch anymore, so that’s a good sign.  
  
He’s not sure if she likes him though, because MJ is a hard person to read. But she does, doesn’t she? She had to. All Peter knew was that he was starting to like her, like actually have a crush.  
  
Ned only makes it worse by always talking to MJ about Peter, right in front of him.  
  
“Peter said you look nice.” Ned blurts out one day when she’s opening her locker beside them. Peter punches him in the shoulder in response.  
  
Ned grabs his shoulder, “Ouch. What was that for?” He was helpless. Also a terrible wingman.  
  
MJ looks a little confused, but pleased.  
  
“Thanks, loser.” She says, looking at Peter directly as she whips her bag over her shoulder. “You do too.”  
  
And then she’s gone.  
  
“You’re _welcome_.” Ned says, grinning at his best friend.  
  
He also never recollects them having an actual conversation. They talk in passing and during practice, never really during lunch because she’s always so focused on whatever task is in front of her. So, were they even really friends? It felt like it, but he also didn’t feel about her how he felt about Ned. Like he could tell her his deepest, darkest secrets—only Ned knew those.  
  
It’s several months of bickering and joking around that makes Peter realize just _how_ much he liked her. It wasn’t like fighting or arguing with Flash during school. It felt like when you’re in middle school and you don’t know how to express how you like a girl so you pick on her or constantly try to prove yourself right. MJ didn’t mind, it was kind of endearing. But, she also didn’t pay much mind to it. Peter was weird and highly suspicious, not to say that she didn’t find him cute. Because she did. Could you blame her?  
  
She was too scared to get hurt by someone, so she was always guarded. Besides, having a couple of friends to talk to at school was nice. There was also the fact that she knew he was Spider-Man and she didn’t want to say something stupid and blurt it out to prove a point, because she definitely would.  
  
Peter makes his plan that month, the month of the trip. He was tired of holding back how he was feeling, regardless of whether she felt the same—she needed to know. Although, he was hoping she liked him back. It’s not like they openly flirt with one another, but she does act shy when Peter catches her looking at him. And that has to account for something. Plus, she’s really cool and Peter finds her interesting.  
  
“It’s a terrible plan.” Ned tells him.  
  
“It’s a great plan.” Peter counters, “It’ll work.”  
  
Man, he hoped it worked.


End file.
